


Angels fear to tread

by Susspencer



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Explosives, Gen, Guardian Angels, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 06:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12699588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susspencer/pseuds/Susspencer
Summary: Will the BAU's guardian angels stick with them forever?When will their luck run out?Whose number is up?Or will it all be ok again?





	Angels fear to tread

For fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Alexander Pope

The BAU team seemed to have guardian angels on their shoulders. There were many times, from behind her monitors, that Garcia had sworn, this time was it. Yet, whomever was injured, soon returned to duty. Even Emily had returned from the dead.

Penelope could pull up every incident to see who’s turn it was to beat the odds. Reid could calculate those odds, but that might jinx something. Morgan’s guardian angel had to have jumped from that ambulance in New York just before him. Will’s and Emily’s must have held her hand on the train station mezzanine, as she picked which wire to cut. JJ firing into that frozen room full of gas, that should’ve blown everything sky high. Reid, well he had to have at least two, between Georgia, anthrax, Dowd, being shot in the knee, excetra. Garcia barely survived being shot, herself. Hotch, his angel worked long hours. His angel was on the clock in the apartment when Foyett stabbed Hotch, in New York, when the SUV exploded, and it aimed for Dowd.

From BSU to BAU, from beginning to retirement to coming back after Gideon left, Rossi saw his share of cases, killers, signatures, well, he had written the book on it. How did he explain it, when they were in his office profiling him?

“Well, I believe In a lot of things. Catholic, yes. Italian-american, Strict upbringing, Not so much.”

Angels were a definitely on his list of beliefs, with everything he had experienced growing up in Commack, Long Island, New York, through Vietnam, plus well, you can read the books.

Then, there was today. They had been narrowing down the profile for two weeks. Someone had been snatching young men in their late twenties, early thirties, torturing them, dumping them back in the middle of town, with explosives hidden on or in their bodies. When they were found, went to the hospital or for help...boom. It became terrifying for first responders, as well as the victims.

Garcia was searching for who had access to these types of explosives, when Reid went missing. They knew that he/she had injected themself into the investigation at some point. How else would they have met Dr. Reid? Garcia came up empty on the explosives purchases, but she did find that the victims went to the local coffee shop, before being abducted. Reid’s coffee habit was going to be the death of him one day, maybe today.

Hotch stepped out of the conference room for a moment. This was like Georgia, all over again. He couldn’t watch Reid die again. He felt a hand on his back.

“Hey, we'll find him. Morgan is working with bomb disposal. They think, they've isolated the explosive powder the unsub is using. All they need to do is figure out what is setting it off.” Rossi tried to reassure.

Hotch nodded, then walked back in with David. He looked up at the geographical profile, Reid had left there. Hotch noticed there was a warehouse district near the abduction sites and dump sites. He phoned Garcia. Morgan entered.

“The explosive is ignited when it comes in contact with air, blood, and water.”

“That explains why Mr. Smith exploded when the medics were cleaning his wounds with saline, and Mr. Burton, when the bar patrons gave him the glass of water, which he spilled on himself.” JJ interjected.

Morgan nodded. Garcia called back.

“My brave heroes, there’s a warehouse listed in the name of Sophia Kingsley. She was expelled for cheating with her boyfriend from the chemistry graduate program, at the local college. He was in his late twenties. The address is on your phones.”

The team was in the SUVs, quickly. They radioed for bombsquad and SWAT to meet them there. It started to rain, just as they hit the road. Rossi said a quick prayer. Hotch sighed. Prentiss looked a bit panicked. Morgan was looking at his phone, scrolling. JJ stared forward. Hotch had given assignments, as they drove. The team would go in. SWAT would secure the place, no one in or out until the bomb squad could clear Reid.

When they entered, it was dark, because of the rain. They cleared the space as they went. Spencer had gotten Sophia to talk, while she was torturing him. He told her about his chemistry degree. She explained, how the boyfriend had talked her into cheating, thus ending her life. She told him her explosives formula. When she left him at the warehouse, he started working on getting free. Once free, he stripped out of the explosive coated clothing. A moment ago, he headed towards the front exit. Just as Dave was finishing his area, he spotted Reid’s clothes.

“Hotch,” he called over the mic. “I have a pile of Reid’s clothes here, but no Reid. He must have left them knowing they have the explosive on them.”

“10-4” Hotch answered.

He caught a glimpse of someone moving. Ordering them to stop, he found it to be the naked genius.

“I’ve got Reid here. Let’s all exit, and let the bomb squad handle the clothes.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Dave answered.

Rossi turned to leave. Just then part of the roof caved in from the weight of the rain, over where he was standing. The water hit Spencer’s clothes…

BOOM!!

“Dave? Dave?”  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The unsub had been watching from the back of the building. She didn’t make it out. Dave at least made it out, the doctor had tried to be encouraging. It was just so hard to take, he had lost his right arm. No more writing, shooting, no more playing catch with his grandson. He would have a limp, on that side, too. When Spencer was allowed into ICU, he sat with Rossi. Spencer knew it wasn’t his fault, but he felt that he could be Dave’s guardian angel until he was released.


End file.
